§ Sir John StanleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are his Department's responsibilities for the financial support and furtherance of education on Third world development issues in schools, universities and through the media; and in what specific ways those responsibilities are currently being discharged.
Mr. JacksonEducation on Third world development issues in the school curriculum is covered by section 1 of the Education Reform Act 1988, to the extent that it helps to contribute to the moral and cultural development of pupils in preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experience of adult life.
The United Kingdom Education Departments provide an annual grant of some £40,000 to support the activities of the Council for Education in World Citizenship, which organises conferences for schools and colleges and distributes material on third world issues amongst others.
My right hon. Friend grant-aids the Standing Conference on Education for International Understanding currently at the rate of £6,000 a year, to promote education on international understanding at all levels of the education service.
Universities receive public funds on the advice of the University Grants Committee. Drawing on these and other funds at their disposal they make the provision they judge appropriate for Third world development studies.